For some time we’ve known that a series based on the pre-Red Dragon partnership of FBI agent Will Graham and criminal psychologist-slash-cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lector was in development at NBC. The Bryan Fuller spearheaded series is on track to debut sometime mid-season in 2013, and indeed actor Hugh Dancy has already been cast as Graham. But as we wait word for what “40-ish British” actor had been hired to fill Anthony Hopkins’ shoes as Hannibal, there is some other news on the “Hannibal” front that has nothing to do with Hannibal.

Anyway, it seems that creating a series based on Thomas Harris’ novel series about Hannibal is such a great idea, that the cable network Lifetime is getting in on it with its new series called Clarice. In the “early stages of development,” this new series will “follow the exploits of a young Clarice Starling soon after she graduates from the FBI academy.”

You’ll recall that Clarice Starling is the main character of Silence of the Lambs, an FBI cadet who is sent to get insight from the imprisoned Dr Lector about the serial killer called The Tooth Fairy. Clarice was also in the Silence sequel Hannibal, in which she’s brought in to renew the manhunt for Lector after his escape years earlier at the end of Silence. It sounds like Clarice will fill in some of the detail during her years between Hannibal adventures.

No word yet on any cast members or showrunners. I get the impression it’s just an idea someone at Lifetime might have had at a barbeque over the long weekend, but it could be interesting. The real question is if the eventual creators will be able to avoid wedging Hannibal in somewhere, or maybe even have him as a guest star during sweeps.

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